webmaster
© Copyright DEHAI-Eritrea OnLine, 1993-2011
All rights reserved
From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Mon May 16 2011 - 08:40:43 EDT
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110511/wl_africa_afp/libyaconflictrefugee_20110511190122
Kadhafi
regime complicit in exodus: social worker, migrants
by W.G. Dunlop W.g. Dunlop – Wed May 11, 3:01 pm ET
TRIPOLI (AFP) – Libyan security forces are stoking a mounting exodus of
migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on often-deadly sea journeys to Italian
islands, a social worker and African migrants said on Wednesday.
A boat carrying up to 800 people from Libya to Italy capsized and sank on
Friday off the coast of Tripoli, two Somali survivors said, in the latest in
a string of accidents involving overloaded boats carrying migrants hungry
for a brighter future in Europe.
A Tripoli-based social worker who works with African migrants and requested
anonymity for fear of retribution said that authorities had generally
prevented migrants from sailing for Europe, until war between rebels and
veteran strongman Moamer Kadhafi's forces broke out in February.
"Before the conflict, you have no access; you can't do that, because there
was a high patrol around the shores," she said.
Now, members of Libya's security forces "are the ones arranging all this,"
she said of the dangerous sea passage, that can cost passengers from
hundreds to thousands of dollars.
And "naval officers who have boats ... even accompany them to international
waters and teach the captain how to take the boat" in exchange for money.
The boats can depart from Libya "because of the crisis," said Mary Anne, a
35-year-old Nigerian who has lived and worked in Libya for 10 years and
knows several people who have departed for Italy by boat.
Libyan authorities generally blocked the boats before, but police will now
help arrange passage in exchange for money, she said.
Mohammed Abdel Samed Ahmed, a 34-year-old Somali who survived the sinking of
the boat on Friday along with his 28-year-old, nine-months-pregnant wife
Farah Mohammed, said that Libyan security forces were not directly involved
in their trip, but were present at the Tripoli port and knew what was
happening.
There was also another much larger ship carrying African migrants at the
port at the same time as the ship they took, he said.
Mohammed and Farah said the roughly 21-metre (69-foot) boat they were on
capsized and sank about 5:30 am (0330 GMT) on Friday, with people shouting
"oh God, oh God!" as the ship sank several hundred metres off the coast of
Tripoli.
Farah said "it was the first time" that she had ever been under water.
"I think that I finish my life," she said.
She cannot swim, but survived because of a life jacket that she had brought
herself. About a hundred others had done the same, but no life vests were
handed out on board the boat.
Mohammed also said he was afraid he would die.
Five or six Libyan patrol boats arrived about 15 minutes after the boat sank
and took survivors to shore, Mohammed said, adding that he personally saw
between 160 and 200 on the beach.
About 250 people on the boat that sunk were below deck, which was only
accessible by two "very small" doors, said Mohammed, adding that he thinks
that "these people all died."
"Yes, it's increasing. I was here in 2010, and there was not any chance of
this type of illegal immigrants," Somali embassy charge d'affairs Abdulghani
Waeis said when asked if attempts by migrants to take boats to Europe from
Libya are on the rise.
"When the war started here, the authorities in Libya have no chance" to stop
the migrants, said Waeis, who added that he did not know of security forces
actively participating in the voyages.
But "they are not forbidding" them, he said, and they may "just arrange the
security or safety of the boat."
When asked about the large number of boats carrying migrants from Libya,
Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said that "everyone knows now that the
army is overstretched, and the police also."
"We're still ready and willing to work again with the European countries to
deal with this problem," he said, but Libya needs assistance from Europe to
do so.
"I assure you that this is not the policy of the government," he added when
asked about allegations of security forces being involved in facilitating
the migrants' trips, but added that it was possible that some members acted
alone.
The most recent missing boat is by no means the first, the social worker
said, mentioning two other incidents she knew of in recent months.
"The first boat was with 350 Eritreans and Ethiopians" who left around
February 23 or 24 for Italy. "We have no information what happened to them,
where the accident took place."
Another boat carrying 72 Ethiopians and Eritreans set out for Italy around
March 23, she said, citing accounts from survivors.
The boat got lost, ran out of fuel and was blown back to Libya by the wind
three weeks later.
"They were just left without any hope," she said.
The 11 survivors were detained by government security forces when they
landed near Misrata, and another two died during three days in custody, she
said.
They were eventually released and aided by the social worker, who arranged
for a doctor to see them.
Three went to the Tunisian border but despite their ordeal the rest decided
to try again to reach Italy by boat. Their fate is unclear.
There are daily reports of boats leaving Tripoli port, the social worker
said, and frequent rumours of sinkings.
"They use Libya as a transit country to cross to Europe," she said of the
African migrants, adding that maybe 25 percent come to work in Libya, while
the rest have their sights set on the EU.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----